Most people should be very impressed and satisfied with the 2012 additions, steady progress, certainly shows that they're listening and expanding.

Click to expand...

After the initial burst of new HD when D12 first launched, things quickly started looking quite dire. Much of the capacity was dedicated to "push" channels and a big chunk of the additions were to the premium movie services. New HD is great, but it was mainly focused on a fairly particular segment of the customer base.

Then word followed that D14 would be launched even later than expected, making it appear that we'd have to wait even longer for lots more new HD. Adding in the noises Directv was making about challenging contract negotiations and the possibility of some channels getting dropped, things were really looking bad.

It was only recently that we began to get word of the new tech that would allow 6 channels per transponder, greatly expanding the capacity of D12. Now, the hope many of us had for D12 to really blow the doors off of HD upgrades may finally be coming true.

There's still the issue of managing the capacity for the next 18-24 months until D14 gets here and all the new sports programmers that want to get on board. But maybe, just maybe, there's room for everyone to get at least some of what they want in the next year or two - a few more premiums, more sports, more basics, etc, etc.

Most people should be very impressed and satisfied with the 2012 additions, steady progress, certainly shows that they're listening and expanding.

Click to expand...

Well, I definitely am. If we don't get another basic HD channel the rest of the year past those already in Test, I'll feel it was a pretty good year.

Having said that, with the 6-per encoders, and the apparent (so far) quarterly roll-out of that tech infrastructure, I'm certainly not excluding the possibility that more goodies could be forthcoming in 2012.

After the initial burst of new HD when D12 first launched, things quickly started looking quite dire. Much of the capacity was dedicated to "push" channels and a big chunk of the additions were to the premium movie services. New HD is great, but it was mainly focused on a fairly particular segment of the customer base.

Then word followed that D14 would be launched even later than expected, making it appear that we'd have to wait even longer for lots more new HD. Adding in the noises Directv was making about challenging contract negotiations and the possibility of some channels getting dropped, things were really looking bad.

It was only recently that we began to get word of the new tech that would allow 6 channels per transponder, greatly expanding the capacity of D12. Now, the hope many of us had for D12 to really blow the doors off of HD upgrades may finally coming true.

There's still the issue of managing the capacity for the next 18-24 months until D14 gets here and all the new sports programmers that want to get on board. But maybe, just maybe, there's room for everyone to get at least some of what they want in the next year or two - a few more premiums, more sports, more basics, etc, etc.

Click to expand...

You are/were focusing on the negative of each of those points. SR kept telling us HD would continue to grow. And it has. The complaints focused on the basic while directv became a giant in sports and premium hd. The growth continued. It was just focused.

Meanwhile rather than cheap on quality as Comcast and dish did, directv held its path and worked with tech improvements. They took a strong course to differentiate themselves as not just another service and the strategy has and will payoff for them and for us.

Some of us have been saying that. Reading the tea leaves differently. Saw them proceeding with caution without assuming all was lost. And we got bashed for it.

I know that the technology was the issue. Everyone should have. SR made it clear several times. The tech has improved. So they can now add more of the non-must-have channels.

I guess it is the same as why anyone wants talking head channels (eg, HLN), Channels that primarily show pre 1953 movies (eg, TCM) channels that primarily show pre HD era television shows (eg, TV Land), channels that show nothing but reruns of programs that were not that good in the first place (eg, ION) or shopping channels (eg, QVC) in HD. Some people do not want to watch anything that is not in HD regardless of whether HD makes sense.

While I am no longer a fan of BBCA and I rarely watch NGW, I can agree that these are the best HD additions in a long time - far better choices than E!, TCM, AMC, or TruTV - based solely on their video content.

Click to expand...

While it's true that TCM (at this time) only shows upconverted content, the fact that they most shows pre-1953 has little to do with it. Some of the most amazing quality Blu-rays I own are from movies made prior to 1953.

Also, while I may not know the amount of content that TV Land shows in HD, a good majority of their programming is either available in HD, or is easily transferable to HD.

It all comes down to tastes. Personally, I feel that AMC, TCM, BBCA, and hopefully future additions of TV Land and DIY to be far superior additions to NGW, but that's just my personal tastes.

While it's true that TCM (at this time) only shows upconverted content, the fact that they most shows pre-1953 has little to do with it. Some of the most amazing quality Blu-rays I own are from movies made prior to 1953.

Also, while I may not know the amount of content that TV Land shows in HD, a good majority of their programming is either available in HD, or is easily transferable to HD.

It all comes down to tastes. Personally, I feel that AMC, TCM, BBCA, and hopefully future additions of TV Land and DIY to be far superior additions to NGW, but that's just my personal tastes.

~Alan

Click to expand...

You got three of your wishes, I got mine. Not bad . Though, I will watch Top Gear (if they keep like they have recently and don't wait three years or so to air it)

Disney JR. at last check max beams in 720p and not 1080 anything!!
so does ION 720p only it'll be interesting to see how ION fits on the map...on 305 in HD and my local LIL also?

Click to expand...

Again, New York City has the ACTUAL local Ion available, so no, it shouldn't be in your LiL range.

Sea bass said:

Well if ION is being added, chances are good that I may see a DNS feed of CW HD someday...

Click to expand...

From your fingers to DirecTV's eyes...

maartena said:

Is this really a big deal? I have a 1080p TV in the living room and a 720p TV in my office, and I really can't notice much of a difference. Now my eyes might be getting a little older of course....

In any case, a 720p picture looks just as great to me, really. ESPN is 720p too, and it looks pretty good.

Click to expand...

There is a BIG difference between 720p and 1080i/p.

However, there is also a BIG difference between 480i and 720p, so Ion-HD will be welcomed here regardless of resolution.

tonyd79 said:

Ion had an advantage over CW for directv and may be a reason they added it. They can pick up one channel and map it locally to the local number and everyone is happy. Makes it easier to get to there locals goal.

Click to expand...

There are a TON of markets where DirecTV does the same with the CW DNS feeds. Without doing a count, I'd say there are a couple more markets with the CW DNS feeds than there are those with Ion mapped down to the local channels.

The difference is that EVERYONE gets Ion East, whereas not everyone gets the CW DNS feeds.

Some people like fake stuff! The had to use the name "Entertainment" in their WWE name, because that is what it is. It's an entertainment show, not a wrestling show. But people like it, there is a market for it.

Click to expand...

There is also the issue of the World Wildlife Foundation's objection to the use of WWF for World Wrestling Federation.

Mmm, at the risk of reigniting last millenium's hot topic. . . when did that happen? When TV's started automatically upconverting 1080i to 1080p at high refresh rates?

I've still been hanging on to the idea that 720p and 1080i are roughly equal with exceptions for particular suitability for some content types (like, fast moving stuff like sports is better on 720p). With "true" native 1080p still a very clear "cut above".

That is great, but we really need yyy, DirecTV sucks to not have yyy, man if only yyy was added instead of xxx.

yyy gets announced ...

That's great, but we really need ...

Most people should be very impressed and satisfied with the 2012 additions, steady progress, certainly shows that they're listening and expanding.

Click to expand...

Yep!

While I may only care about two of the three channel additions in test, I find the results to be good news regardless. A good mix of channels so that most of us end up with at least one channel we'll enjoy.

dpeters11 said:

You got three of your wishes, I got mine. Not bad . Though, I will watch Top Gear (if they keep like they have recently and don't wait three years or so to air it)

Click to expand...

Not just that, I get one of my Top #3 (BBCA) this month, and one of my Top #10 (Ion) this month as well.

There are a TON of markets where DirecTV does the same with the CW DNS feeds. Without doing a count, I'd say there are a couple more markets with the CW DNS feeds than there are those with Ion mapped down to the local channels.

The difference is that EVERYONE gets Ion East, whereas not everyone gets the CW DNS feeds.

~Alan

Click to expand...

Exactly. The CW feeds are DNS. Ion would be DNS plus locals. And the areas without CW HD cover a lot fewer people than Ion HD. I live in a major market that doesnt have Ion at all. Good luck finding a major market without CW HD.

That is what I meant. Larger advantage. Directv gets a lot of local HD in this move.